On June 27, Turkish riot police used tear-gas and rubber bullets to disrupt [8] Istanbul's annual pride parade after the the governor's office refused to grant a permit for the event. The police arrested dozens of marchers, as well as journalists who were covering the event. The police attack comes amid a period of mounting hostilities against the nation's LGBTIQ+ community. The pride parade has been held annually since 2003, despite being officially banned [9] since 2014. Videos shared on social media [10] show hundreds of people gathered on Istiklal Avenue, a popular tourist destination, chanting "Rainbow is not a crime, discrimination is."
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who voiced support for the LGBTQ community prior to being elected, and senior members of his government have recently voiced strong anti-LGBTIQ+ sentiment in an effort to appeal to more conservative voters. In early 2021, President Erdogan was widely condemned [13] for comments made in an address to members of his government where he claimed [14] that "there was no such thing as LGBT" and labeled LGBT student protestors as "terrorists."
While the government stands by the police action as a justified response in line with COVID-19 protocols, advocacy groups believe [15], in line with recent government behavior, it was another method of silencing the LGBTIQ+ community.
From Jurist [16], June 28. Used with permission.
Note: Earlier this year, Turkey wthdrew [17] from the Istanbul Convention [18] on violence against women, on the specious grounds that it promotes homosexuality.
